Not Quantity
by obsessive-elphaba
Summary: 4th in a series! It's not quantity, it's quality Continuation to Not Afraid


Continuation to _Not Afraid_

Not the Quantity

Chapter 1

When the group returned to Konoha, everything stayed normal. Everyone minded their own business only occasionally stopping to throw trash at the blond boy. Neon girl wouldn't stand for anyone treating her angel with any sign of cruelty. Smile. Act natural. _He doesn't want me to worry about him. _She held onto his filthy hand and kept watch for any sign of hesitation in his two oceans of eyes. She was the lifeguard, responding to any sign of danger. Pain. Sadness. The color red. If red is spotted, tell lifeguard, and she will hug the blond boy. Showing him that everything they said to him was fake. His eyes would then swell with tears and the oceans will close. She noted a hint of sorrow trying to remain hidden in the swerves of beauty. "What's wrong?" she stroked his spiky blond hair. He looked at the girl's emerald eyes, sparkling with concern. He turned on his magnets and she didn't blink. Couldn't blink. But still, no matter how hard his seducing powers tested her, she kept a worried glare. He sighed and closed his eyes snapping her out of hypnosis. "I'm fine." She stilled eyed him. Silently begging him to spill. She wanted to be able to comfort him for anything. "It's nothing. I swear."

"It is something… what is it? You're not alone. I want to prove it." She stared at the beautiful frowning face looking down at her. "But if you won't tell me, all I can do is small an insignificant…" she sighed and closed her eyes. He did the same and dropped his hand from hers. He looked at her after awhile and sighed. His whole life was right there beside him. Worried about him. He wouldn't be able to go through with his mission. It would be too painful…

Chapter 2

She woke her angel up gently and noticed he was still troubled by something. She sighed but let it slide just that once. "Love you." She kissed his cheek and helped him walk through the trail of junk to the table. She had prepared him his favorite breakfast. The noodles swam around in the broth instead of flowing down his throat. Her angel wasn't thinking of nothing. He was thinking too hard. _Oh man. He's so upset… What's wrong with him? Why can't he tell me? _**OH! IF SOMEONE CALLED HIM ANYTHING BAD I'LL KILL THEM!! **_This is more than just words people could've said. _"Please, tell me what it is that's bothering you. I can't stand seeing you this upset." He looked at her turquoise green eyes and sighed. It only made his quest harder. She had no clue that caring hurt him even more. "I'll tell you later…" he looked at the bowl of ramen in front of him. "At least eat your ramen. Make it seem normal." She kept her eyes on him even more than normal. Where did that flicker of enthusiasm go? She was too concerned to realize she was about to hit a bench in the park they were walking in. Until he caught her just in time. He took her over to the grand oak tree that would easily qualify as Peter Cottontail's house. He looked at her for the slightest moment then cried. She touched his cheeks stopping the flow, but he pulled the arm down. "You have to go…" He whispered. She was confused but felt the flow of tears on her face. "You have to go home…"

"No. Not after what they said to you! I could never!"

"You miss them too much, and I'm the reason why… I don't want you to give up what you have for me…"

"I _want _to give my whole life for you." Neon girl almost yelled through tears. She knew he was breaking up with her. So she would feel the same as her father. So she could go back to her family who she missed desperately. She could never hate him. Even if he treated her three times as bad as the Uchiha boy does. She knew he didn't hate her, but he had given up so much. She didn't want herself to be on that list. _He just wants me to be happy. Wants me to hate him so our relationship can go back to when we were younger… but I could never repeat those signs of hate… _"Naruto-kun, you don't understand… I don't have anything but you… no matter what my parents say… you're first-" she cried.

"But you would have your parents and more friends and respect if it weren't for me…" he stared back at her. She couldn't say it wasn't true, but her heart wasn't with any of those places. With any of those people. Only with him was her heart safe. She wrapped her arms around the boy so to stop him from leaving her. "No…" she whispered. He didn't relax into it as usual but gently pulled her arms off. She fell to the ground and looked at him as he slowly walked away. She repeated the words she had said to the Uchiha boy when he left her. "But I love you more than ever!" this time she meant it. Her heart meant it. Her mind, her inner self, every part of her body was broken into pieces. He hesitated and slowed his pace. His body left broken as well. What he did… He thought it was for the best. He thought wrong.

Chapter 3

Though her heart wasn't with it, she forced herself to listen to her angel. He wasn't correct when he said those things, but his heart was in the right place –heaven. Like the angel he was, he always tried doing the nicest thing possible. Hesitantly she knocked on that door where her parents lived. After a few moments, her mother answered. "Sakura?" she asked. Obviously trying not to sound so shocked. "Um… how are you today?"

But her look said it all. Her eyes were red from crying and her face looked like it had swallowed a million lemons. "Okay…" she lied. After a short pause, she sighed, "I want to come back… home." The lies in that sentence made her heart swerve with guilt. Her mother's face lifted into a short smile. "Of course… but what's wrong?" Neon girl looked at the welcome mat on the ground and sighed. "…My boyfriend broke up with me… kind of harshly…" Her mother placed her arm on her daughter's shoulder. "Oh, I'm so sorry, dear. It'll be okay. I know it." She smiled up to her mother. "Thanks, mom. Great to see you… I know." She sighed. Standing in the doorway uneasily. Every second was driving closer to seeing her father. She would have to be pretend-happy. As her mind would be raging with hate-filled thoughts, she would behave herself. "Well, come on in. Need any help with your bags?" Her mother spoke in her most graceful voice. "No thanks, it's nothing really." She only had one bag. Filled with a few outfits, a blanket, and a few toiletries. Weightless. Empty, just like her heart. She talked with her mom a little, easily because her mother never said anything cruel about her distant angel… She couldn't let her thoughts wander toward him. She would surely burst into an ocean of tears. Oceans… just like his eyes. She sighed and shook her head. _He still loves me. Doesn't he? _"Would you like anything to eat, honey?" her mother asked. Sakura shook her head. It would be a change having someone spoon-feed her. She was used to being the mom of ______ _______. "Mom, when will dad be home?"

Chapter 4

She had one hour to plan out her evening with her father. Once he found out her angel had broken up with her, he would surely throw a fit. Wear earplugs. Still the words would be so cruel she wouldn't be able to ignore them. They would rip up her heart and stop her from living. Solution: have surgeon and heart donor ready. She didn't want anyone's heart but his. She guessed it was for the better he wasn't there. She would surely be murdering her father if he said a single cruel remark. _Because he lived._ She sighed and looked at her team picture. It would be the closest she could get to him. _Because he lived._ She made a list of how many things she would have if she had continued chasing the Uchiha boy.

1. She would love her father.

2. She would have two times as many friends.

3. She would receive more respect.

4. She would have no one to worry about.

5. She wouldn't have gotten hurt that one time.

6. She wouldn't be crying for him.

Still she sighed and didn't let it go. She couldn't, wouldn't, and never shall. That dreadful hour was inching closer. Each minute felt like seconds. Five minutes… Tick. Tock. "Honey, I'm home!" she heard her father's voice call to her mom. Right on the spot, Mom would tell dad about their daughter's return. "So she is?" his voice flowed through her door. "Where is she?" Footsteps getting closer. Five… four… three… two…

Chapter 5

"Sakura! So great to see you! How are you?" He smiled at her. Her mouthed curved into a nervous grin. "I'm fine, thank you?" she basically asked. Her father looked her once over and shook his head. "I knew that boy would do you wrong. Well, I guess it comes naturally." Still her face looked at the bed. It had soft pink sheets over the mattress with a bolder pink cover up over that. It was too comfy. Too clean. Nothing like that totally revolting couch in his apartment. _It will do. I guess… _She didn't say anything. Didn't snap at anything her father said. "Well, what did he say? How bad was it?" she looked up and sighed. He, her father was the reason. Even though he was missed, she didn't want_ him _to go. _Just. Friend. _"We weren't seeing eye to eye. That's it." She noted her mother standing in the door. She knew it wasn't the real deal. "I'd say. You're too sweet for a _beast _like him. You shouldn't be near any monster." Again, neon girl was stabbed by the words. Smile. Act natural. _Don't worry… he can't hear any of it. _Still she wanted to scream to the sky, "Shut up, Dad!" She heard her voice but couldn't believe she had said it. _Crap._ "We're still friends and I don't want you to talk about him like that ever." She gave it her all not to scream. It hurt her too much to hear those words… so she ran back to her room.

She spent her whole day staring at that tiny picture frame on her dresser. About now she would be kissing him "Goodnight…" Tears rolled down her cheeks. He still loved her. Even if he didn't, she would still love him. Still would be in love with him. A knock hit her door and traveled into her ears. "Come in…" she sighed. In walked her father, the vicious beast he was. "Just wanted to say goodnight." "Night." Her voice was practically silent and she didn't look at his face. "Love you." She didn't reply. Couldn't. She promised her mother she wouldn't lie about something that serious. He sighed and silently left the room. _He's too nice… I don't want this. He makes me happy. Not anyone else… _She cried herself to sleep with that picture tucked in between her arms.

Chapter 6

She couldn't take it. A week had gone by. A week of listening to lies about her angel. A week of not being able to kiss him goodnight. A week alone. Then that one day came where she was forced to see his sad face yet again. A mission. Another mission. It was a very simple one only ranking of C. She would have to stay with him for five days at least. Everything would be so turned over… they would leave in a week. When that day came, everyone gathered by the gates and waited for the always-late Kakashi. She never got her angel a book come to think of it. She sighed and kept to herself, ignoring every smart remark that came out of Sai's mouth. He was yapping away about her recent break up. "Oh he hates you now. At least someone comes to their senses!" "D-I-S-S-E-D! You got dissed." "If I were you, I would beat him up for turning you down." Everything fake. Or maybe not. "I'm sorry…" she whispered. _But I can't stop loving you. It's not quantity that matters._ She felt warm tears trickle down her cheeks. The blond knew he had made a mistake, but he had no clue how to fix it. Here's a clue, stupid. Go talk to her._ What the hell would I say? "I'm sorry I wanna get back together?" _I don't know. She looks like she would take that. "Is it true that you've been sneaking out of your house and sleeping in the park?" Sai asked. Neon girl nodded. "It's not my house…" she kept staring at the grass in front of her. It would occasionally move with the wind, snap and spin. She was resisting. She hadn't heard him talk to her in so long. Speak to her soothingly. Calm her in her state of insanity. She stood up and ran into the forest. "Sakura-chan!" she heard someone say. She didn't look back. Tears again flooded her emerald eyes. She started running swiftly to the edges of the forests. Faster… faster… faster. Suddenly a kunai sliced through her arm. And four more after that. She was too helpless to heal all the wounds and fell unconscious with blood loss. Memories filled her head. Memories of the blond boy. Every time he had ever saved her life. Every time she endangered his. Words blurred her visions as well. _Fragile. Handle with care… Just. Friend. Monster. Angel. Love. Hate._ She woke up after a constant scatter of hearing her name being called. Her eyes dazed open. Her angel was right there staring at her. ] [ Only that far from her face. Though her arm was in serious pain, she throttled him. "Don't you ever leave me…" She sobbed. He was about to protest. "I hated it… You were right when you said it gave me more… but it's not quantity it's quality… And you have all the quality in the world…" she kept her arms around his neck, this time making it impossible for him to tear her off. He was silent and tense. "I'm sorry… I can't hate you…" Tears continued flooding down her cheeks. Trails were left identifying how dirty her face was. Slowly he wrapped his arms around her and sighed. His mission had been completed weeks ago, and she was going to reverse it in just one day. "I can't hate my angel…" she breathed. What was he going to say? Lies that would only hurt them both more. Here she was telling him he was her angel. Her guide in life. Her guardian. She would never let him go. "Love you…" she whispered. No one could hear it except for him. He whispered back, "I… love you, too…" He was then forced into crying lightly. She gave up her family, half her friends. Sure, he had given up a lot of things in his life, but wasn't used to receiving. "You have to promise you will never give me up for _my _sake. I don't care about anything but you." The words flashed in his head. _Not quantity. Quality. _He always would love her. Always had, all the way back from years ago in the academy. "I promise…" he whispered. The first soothing words he said to her in weeks. _Not quantity. Quality._

The End. By MangaLuvr1r34. I don't own Naruto and all that jazz. Hope you like it! 


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